Ratchet wrench



March 1, 1949. w VAN -HOOSE 2,463,221

RATCHET WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1945 7? 7 5 WE Van/ oose I M MM Patentecl Mar. 1 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RATCHET CH William E. Van Hoose, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 8, 1945, Serial Nr-571786 Claims.

1 This invention relates to wrenches and is an improvement over the construction embodied in my copending application, Serial No. 554,768, filed September 19, 1644, for Ratchet wrenches. An object of this invention is to provide a reversible wrench which eliminates the usual pawl and ratchet construction, and wherein the component parts may be firmly locked against rotation in either direction and will freely rotate in the opposite direction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pair of relatively rotatable members and segmental looking or bra-king elements between said members which are adapted to be moved into loclnng engagement when one member is 1'0- tated relative to the other member.

A further object of this invention is to provide a reversible wrench which includes male and female wrench elements with a reversible clutch means which may be locked against rotation relative to each other in one direction, and which will permit free rotation of the wrench elements in the opposite direction.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel means for cooperatively associating one or more clutch elements each of which comprises a number of component parts in cooperative relationship.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel friction clutch mechanism which may be used as a brake or as a free-wheeling device.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a novel friction clutch including a novel clutch element associated with a novel positioning member for said clutch element and a novel means for selectively reversing the clutching action of said clutch.

Another object of my invention is to provide a friction clutch having a novel association of functional parts which include and are associated with a novel selective reversing mechanism.

A still further object or" my invention is to provide a novel operative association of the component parts of an individual clutch element.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

figure l is a detail side elevation of a wrench constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the wrench elements with some of the interior parts removed.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the device.

Figure '1 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l-l of Figure 2'.

Figure 8 is an end elevation of one of thesegmental clutching or bra-king members.

Figure 9 is a sectional View similar to Figure 3 of a modified form of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals l0 and H designate generally male and female wrench members, respectively. The wrench members l9 and ii, one of which comprises a driving member and the other of which com.- prises a driven member, are rotatably coupled together, as will be hereinafter described, so that they may be selectively rotated one relative to the other in one direction and locked against rotation relative to each other in an opposite direction.

The wrench member H is formed with. a housing, having a cylindrical side wall l2 and an end wall l3. Wrench member H] is formed with an annular flange: i4, having a rabbet l5 cut to the marginal portion thereof, about which cylindrical member I? is adapted to snugly engage. The wrench member it is also formed with an integral stud it, which is provided with diametrically opposite flat cam faces l l and I8.

A headed bolt 19 extends centrally through the stud Iii, and is threaded as at 253, into the wrench member i i, so that the two wrench members iii and It will be rotatably coupled together. A plate or other suitable clutch positioning element such as the annulus 2! is rotatably disposed in the housing formed. by the. cylindrical wall t2 and is provided with oppositely disposed segmental clutching or cutouts 22 and 23.. A pair of substantially segmental clutching members 24 and 25 are adapted to engage in the cutout 22 of the annulus 2i, and a second pair of segmental braking members 28 and 21' are adapted to engage in the cutout 23. The positioning element 2| retains the several segments, as 24 and: 25, or- 26- and 21, of the clutch members together as operative units and also maintains an operative spaced relationship between the several articulating pairs or groups of clutching members, as 2 5 and 25 or 2B and 21, and the other working parts hereinafter described.

The braking members 24 and 25 are provided with parallel confronting faces 28 and 29, respectively, and these confronting fiat faces are formed with arcuate cutouts 30 and 3!, respectively, within which a pin 82 is adapted to'engage. The pin 32 provided a means for holding the two braking members 24 and 25 spaced apart at their inner ends and also provides a fulcrum about which the brake members may rock. The brake or clutch members 26 and 2f are also provided with flat spaced apart confronting faces 33 and 34, respectively, and the flat faces 33 and 34 are formed with arcuate cutouts 35 and 36, respectively. A fulcrum pin 31 engages in the arcuate cutouts 35 and 36 and provides a bearing for the inner ends of the braking and clutching members 26 and 21.

In order to provide a means whereby these clutching members may be selectively disposed in clutching or non-clutching position, I have provided a pivoted dog 38 which is mounted on a shaft 39 carried by clutch member ill. Shaft 39 has a handle or pin Ml extending outwardly from the upper end thereof and projecting through an opening 41 provided in the wrench member II]. A spring 42* may engage the upper end of the shaft 39 and may provide a frictional means for holding the dog member in selected clutching position.

Referring now to Figure 9, there is disclosed a modified form of this invention which is similar in every detail to the construction shown in Figures 1 to 7, with the exception that a pair of substantially segmental clutching members 24 and 25* are disposed in one cutout 22 of annulus 2H and have abutting flat inner faces 28 and 29 A second pair of substantially segmental clutching members 26 and 27 are disposed in the opposite cutout 23 of annulus 2i and the clutching members 26 and 21 are formed with abutting flat faces 33* and 34 The stud It; is formed with diametrically opposite fiat cam faces i'l and 18 with these fiat cam faces confronting the inner straight edges of the clutching members. A dog 38 carried by a shaft 39 is adapted to be selectively adjusted to engage either clutching member 26 or clutching member 24 In the use and operation of this wrench construction, in the event it is desired to rotate the assembly in a counterclockwise direction with the two wrench members I!) and I l locked against rotation relative to each other in this direction, dog member 39 is swung to the position where the nose 42 engages the adjacent inner edge of clutch member 26. The opposite nose 33 of dog 38 is disposed in spaced relation with respect to the inner edge of clutch member 24,

In this position of dog 38, if wrench member II is held against rotation and wrench member I0 is turned in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow 44 in Figure 3, nose 42 will swing with partial rotation of stud it away from clutch member 26. As stud 16 rotates the flat cam faces I! and 18 which are contacted by the opposite pairs of clutch members will cause these clutch members to move outwardly at their inner portions, and as these clutch members move outwardly, they will frictionally bind against the inner surfaces of cylindrical wall 12. The

4 two wrench members Ill and II will thus be tightly locked against rotation relative to each other, so that wrench member II will rotate with wrench member ID in a counterclockwise direction.

If it is desired to rotate wrench member ID in a clockwise direction with dog 38 in the position shown in Figure 3, stud 46 will partially rotate with respect to wrench member ll, until the fiat opposite faces thereof are substantially parallel with the flat inner faces of the opposite pairs of clutch members. At this time nose 42 will engage the inner flat face of clutch member 26, engaging this clutch member adjacent the outer end thereof, and annulus 2| with the clutch members carried thereby, will then freely rotate in a clockwise direction, as shown by arrow designated 45 in Figure 3.

The modified form of this invention will operate in the same manner as the form shown in Figures 1 to 8, inclusive. In the modifiedform of this invention, when stud [B is turned counterclockwise with dog '38 in the position shown the flat faces H and Ill of stud Ifi will cause the inner portions of the two pairs of clutch members to move outwardly and the outer ends thereof to move into binding or locking engagement with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 12 The segments 24', 25 and 32 collectively constitute a single friction shoe, as do also the collective segments 26, 21, and 31, or the segments 26 and 25 or 26 and 21*. Each such friction shoe acts as a unit so that radial pressure exerted by the cam E6 or Hi upon any segment in any one shoe is transmitted throughout each shoe, the precise number or shape of the segments in any one shoe being optional. The net result of increased radial pressure upon a segmental friction shoe or any segment thereof is to distribute the pressure equally throughout the shoe thus insuring that each segment in contact with the cylindrical member or drum l2 or l2 exerts its proportionate share of braking pressure upon the drum [2. The clutching contact area of any shoe comprising such segments does not depend upon the precise shape of a single element but upon the sum of all drumcontacting surfaces of the segments. Compensation for wear is automatic, single-point contact between a shoe and the drum is avoided, and the area of distribution of the braking surface is increased and equalized with any increase in radial pressure due to relative rotation of the cam.

Although the particular shape and number of segments in any shoe is a matter of choice, the segments must abut so as to revolve as a unit under the influence of the dog 38 or 38 and, if not physically secured to one another, the plurality of segments comprising a shoe must be retained together as a group by any suitable positioning element, such, for example, as the cutout 23 or 23 in the annulus 2| or 2|, respectively. The segments may be bound together through and by means of fingers or joints. Only one friction shoe need be employed but if more than one is used the positioning element 21 should interconnect the shoes so that a tangential or rotational force induced by the dog 38 or w in any single shoe will be transmitted to any other shoe so as to carry all of the shoes around as a unit, as aforesaid.

If the positioning element 2| is altogether omitted, the separate shoes may be.so ,con-

structed, as by mutually abutting extensions, that rotation. of: any segment or constituent. of a shoe due to the influence of the. dog. 38 or 38 will be transmitted, to the other segments and shoes to prevent a clutching engagement by the relative rotation of. the cam 16 or Mi In the absence of the positioning element 2!, the segments may be bound, hinged, or otherwise secured to one another to prevent their scattering, and. to maintain their operative relationship inter se and relative to any other shoes.

The cam 16 or It may have one. or av plurality of cam-ming faces such as i1, 58, li or 18 corresponding to the number of friction shoes.

The reference to a "clutch throughout the description and claims is intended also to refer to a brake or a free-wheeling device. Clutch or clutching elements or members are. intended to include brake or braking elements or members and vice versa.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized. that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

What I claim is:

1. A reversible wrench comprising a pair of members rotatably connected together, a cam shaped stud carried by one of said members, a cylindrical clutch element fixedly carried by the other of said members, an annulus within said cylindrical element about said stud, said annulus having a pair of segmental recesses in one face thereof, a pair of clutch elements in each recess having fiat inner faces confronting said stud, said stud upon rotation thereof relative to said pairs of clutch elements effecting a locking of wherein said pairs of clutch elements are formed with abutting flat confronting ends.

4. A reversible wrench comprising a pair of wrench elements, a cup-shaped housing carried by one of said elements, an annular flange carried by the other of said elements and formed with an annular shoulder rotatably engaging in said housing, a stud carried by the other of said elements projecting into said housing, a bolt extending through said stud and threaded into said one element for rotatably coupling said elements together, said stud being formed with a pair of cam faces, an annulus about said stud and loose in said housing, said annulus having opposed segmental cutouts, segmental clutch members in said cutouts adapted upon rotation of said stud relative to said clutch members to lock said stud against rotation relative to said housing, and means between said clutch members for holding said stud against rotation with respect to said clutch members in a selected direction.

5. A reversible wrench as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means comprises a pivoted double ended dog.

6. In a reversible clutch comprising a driving 6" and a driven. member, acam on oneof said: meni bers,. a. cylindrical clutching surface on. the other. said member, circumferentialiy' spaced clutch elements each comprising aplurality .of. loosely articulating parts conjointly' disposed between the. cam and the. clutching. surface for releasable engagement therewith upon relative rotation-'01" said members, a carrier loosely retaining said parts together in. a. cooperative relationship said: carrier comprising a body loosely disposedv within the clutch between the cam and the. cylindrical clutching surface substantially occupying such space so. as to separate. adjacent clutch. elements.

7... In a reversible clutch comprising a. driving and adriven-member, acam on. one of saidmembers, a cylindrical. clutching surface on the. other said member, a clutch element comprising a plurality of articulating parts conjointly' disposed between the cam and the clutching. surfacefor releasable engagement therewith upon. relative: rotation of said members, and at.- least two of said parts having arcuate faces releasingly lock able with said clutching surface and having: a pintle in common, and a positioning element loosely retaining said parts together in a cooperative relationship the inner faces. of said articulating parts being directly engageable with said cam during a camming action.

8. In a reversible clutch comprising a driving and. a driven member, a cam on one of said members, a. cylindrical clutching. surface. on the other said member. a plurality of circumferentially spaced clutch elements. each comprising a. plurality of articulating; parts some. of which comprise friction shoes conjointly disposed between the cam and the clutching surface forreleasable engagement. therewith upon relative rotationof said members.

9. In a reversible clutch comprising a. driving and adriverr member, a cam on one of said mem-' bers, a cylindrical clutching, surface on the other; said member, a plurality ofv clutch; elements each. comprising a plurality of articulating parts conjointly disposed between the cam and the clutching surface for releasable. engagementv therewith upon relative rotation. of. said members, and means cooperatively retaining the. parts of. each. clutch element together and maintaining said clutch elements in spaced relationship to each other so that the movement of one clutch element relative to said clutching surface is transmitted to the other of said clutch elements.

10. In a reversible clutch comprising a driving and a driven member, a cam on one of said members, a cylindrical clutching surface on the other said member, a clutch element comprising a plurality of adjacent parts conjointly disposed between the cam and the clutching surface for releasable engagement therebetween upon relative rotation of said members, a pivotally mounted dog upon one member, said dog being selectively engageable one pivotal position thereof with at least in one of said adjacent parts preventing rotation of the clutch element relative to said cam in one direction and permitting such rotation in the other direction depending upon the position of said cam relative to said clutch element so as to permit a relative reciprocating motion in the driving member and an intermittent rotary motion in a selected direction in the driven member.

11. In a reversible clutch comprising a driving and a driven member, a cam on one of said members, a cylindrical clutching surface on the other said member, a clutch element comprising a plurality of friction shoe segments having clutching faces, said segments making jointed connection with one another and being disposed between the cam and the clutching surface for direct releasable engagement therewith, a pivotally mounted dog engageable with at least one of said parts preventing rotation of the clutch element relative to said cam in one direction and permittin such rotation in the other direction depending upon the position of said cam relative to said clutch element and said dog so as to permit a relative reciprocating motion in the driving member and an intermittent rotary motion in a selected direction in the driven member, and selective means for altering the position of the dog thereby reversing the direction of intermittent rotation of the driven member.

12. In a reversible clutch comprising a driving member and a driven member, a cam on one of said members, a cylindrical clutching drum on the other said member, circumferentially spaced clutch elements disposed between the cam and the clutching surface for releasable engagement therewith upon relative rotation of said members, each of said clutch elements comprising a plurality of articulating shoes actuated by direct radial pressure exerted by the cam.

13. In a reversible clutch comprising a driving member and a driven member, a cam on one of said members, a cylindrical clutching surface on the other said member, a plurality of clutch elements each comprising agroup of loosely articulating segmental friction shoes each having one arcuate clutching face substantially conforming to the curvature of the cylindrical clutching surface disposed between the cam and the clutching surface for releasable engagement therewith upon relative rotation of said members, said segmental friction shoes articulating along a radial plane under the influence of radial cam pressure whereby said segmental shoes collectively ofier a maximum portion of their arcuate clutching faces to said cylindrical clutchin surface. I I 14. A reversible clutch comprising a pair of members rotatably connected together, a cam carried by one of said members, a clutch drum fixedly carried by the other of said elements,'"i spacing segment loosely disposed between said drum and said cam, clutch members comprising a plurality of clutch elements circumferentially aligned with said spacing segment between said drum and said cam, said clutch elements having inner faces confronting said cam, said cam upon rotation thereof relative to said clutch members eiiecting a locking of one'of said pair of members relative to the othengand means carried by one of said pair of members disposed between said clutch members whereby to hold said clutch members against rotation in a selected direction relative to said cam. a

15. In a reversible clutch comprising a driving and a driven member, a cam on one of said mem bers, a cylindrical clutching surface on the other said member, a clutch element comprising a plurality of loosely articulating parts conjointly dis posed between the cam and the clutching surface for releasable engagement therebetween, at least two of said parts having faces substantially complementary to the 'cl" hing-surface and be ing releasingly lockable in said clutching surface over a maximum surface area upon camming said clutch element in a given radial direction, and a positioning element wholly and loosely positioned Within the cylindrical clutching surface loosely retainin said parts together in a cooperative relationship, said clutch element having a clutching position insaid given direction of rotation and a releasing position in an opposite direction of rotation.

WILLIAM E. VAN HOOSEL Y REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PZHTFNTS Number Name Date 333,143 McDonald Dec. 29, 1885 853,454 Holmgren May 14, 1907 1,859,600 Prettyman May 24, 1932 1,867,938 Dalton July 19, 1932 2,036,586 Le Porin Apr. 7, 1936 2,265,694 Lane et al. Dec, 9, 1941 

